Detainee Sentenced To Life In Prison
November 03, 2008

A military commission sentenced today Ali Hamza Ahmad Suliman al Bahlul of Yemen to confinement for life for conspiracy, solicitation and providing material support to terrorism in violation of the Military Commissions Act of 2006. Bahlul will immediately begin serving his sentence of confinement at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Bahlul’s trail conviction is one step in the military commission process. Now that the trial is complete his case will receive an automatic review by the convening authority, who will evaluate the legal sufficiency of the findings and appropriateness of the sentence. Bahlul will still be represented by counsel and have the opportunity to submit matters for consideration on his behalf. Then his case will receive an automatic review by the Court of Military Commission Review. Thereafter, he will have the opportunity to appeal to the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and to the Supreme Court.

A link to Bahlul’s list of charges can be viewed on the Military Commission Web site at http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Feb2008/d20080226bahlul.pdf .